Lonely Soul
by Ridgewolfe
Summary: Ukyou considers just what it means to be a friend one night after a visit from Ranma and Akane


Based off of characters by the ever-lovable Rumiko Takahshi, which are her's, no copyright infringement is meant, and they are used without permission.  
This story can be spread around, as long as the author is acknowledged, and it is not sold for profit, either in part or in whole, and all disclaimers are left intact. 

ARTHOR'S NOTES: I'm not exactly sure what to classify this as... Darkfic, sadfic, poetry... all I can say is that I wrote it during a bout of depression, (Something very common for me, as many who know me will attest to) and like many things in life, everybody will see it as something different...

LONELY SOUL by Ridgewolfe

"Well, it's almost time for us to go... Thanks again, Uc-chan, see you tomorrow at school"

"Arigato Ukyou, it was nice seeing you again"

"Same here sugar! Bye Ran-chan!" I beam back at them, who's very presense is like a beam of sunshine to me. I wave as the two of them leave my little restaraunt, My best friend Ranma, and Akane Tendo, friend and rival for the affections of my Ran-chan's heart, and then close the store, done for the day. As I step outside to take down my banner, I pause a moment, watching them walk towards the Tendo dojo, already they've started bickering about something, and are running down the street as the sun sets, a brilliant golden-red ball. Soon, dusk settles over the streets of the district that for the last year has been my home, as does a now familiar emptiness, a longing, settles across my soul.

I quickly take down my banner, setting it beside the doorway, and start to clean the grill for the next day's business, scrubbing it harder than I need to.

It's not fair, I tell myself, I was his first fiancee, I should be the one he loves, not Akane! All she does is fight with him, hit him, insult him, calling him a pervert when he isn't... but then, I watch the two of them, when they are at school, when they walk home,  
when they are both here... I watch how they look at each other, and how they stand up for each other... although neither will admit it.

True, Ranma would defend any of us, his friends, his Family... he's even stood up for Mousse and Ryouga, two people who have vowed to kill him.

...but the way he defends Akane... that's something totally different... he would take any punishment, withstand any humiliation,  
all to make sure she was safe... it was so obvious they were in love, all of us, his other fiancees, knew it... Shampoo and Kodachi, they ignore it though, and try that much harder to win him for themselves... Me though, his best friend Uc-chan? No, I know that Ran-chan loves Akane.

Deep in my heart, I've known for some time, I guess... I don't know why he loves her, but I know he does, and it makes him happy, which, I guess is all that really matters... if it weren't for the others, I probably would have called the whole engagement off by now, gone home, done something... but if I stay, then at least I provide a distraction for them, someone else for Shampoo or Kodachi to fight, and make things a little easier for Ran-chan. I'm a friend to him, someone that he can talk too, and maybe, someday.

I stop scrubbing as the loneliness overtakes me, tears coming to my eyes once more as all traces of my earlier good mood vanish... Oh Ranma! Why can't you see? ever since we were six years old I've loved you, and I've sacrificed so much! Ten years of my life! My womanhood! Others that would hold me in their hearts as I would you! Don't you know that I long to have you look at me, the way you look at Akane? That I hope to hear you call my name, and hear it filled with the love I so desire? That I want for you to hold me close, throughout the night, and to never let me go? oh, God, Ranma, don't you know how much it hurts me, to see you with someone else, instead of me?

After a bit, I'm able to wipe away the tears, and I quickly finish cleaning the grill. No, you don't see, do you... To you, I'm your friend... maybe the only one you've ever really had, and as much as I would like to be more, that's too important to you to mess up, isn't it? well, your important to me as well, and for as long as you need me, I'll be here for you... I just wish that you would open your eyes to what you have and not deny it anymore, to the possiblities open to you.

...to the possibilities that I'm looking for, and don't know how to find anymore...

finis

It occured to me, one time after a particular little social get together, that the position that Ukyou is in, that of best friend to her one love, must be a very lonely and desparing thing, one that I can understand at times... I hope that I've conveyed that here.

Any and all fanmail and C&C will be read and appreciated, and I do ask that you send it, C&C is one of the best tools for improving one's writing skills

Sayonara!  
Ridgewolfe


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